Like Paper Airplanes
by GeminiLady21
Summary: Paperplanes, crooked families, and everything in between. Asgard is caught in the midst of war, so Loki awaits his punishment on Midgard, supervised by Tony Stark. The last thing Loki expected being temporarily exiled, was befriending a child. Being stuck with these mortals will be a tiresome journey...but life is fleeting - just like paper airplanes. (Cover drawn by me!)
1. The Past Knocks

" **The past is never where you think you left it."**

― **Katherine Anne Porter**

* * *

 **A/N: Like I promised folks, the rewrite has been posted at 8 o' clock p.m! Please read and enjoy!**

 **Setting: Marvel Movies Universe**

 **Pairings: Tony/Pepper moments, implied Clint/Natasha**

 **Warnings: Cursing, Potential Gore, Mild Violence**

* * *

 **~Chapter One~**

Tony Stark was already having one hell of a bad day when he found out that his very expensive shipping of French wine that is shipped to him only three times a year, has been cancelled. Said day proceeds to become pretty shitty, when informed by Nick Fury from S.H.I.E.L.D that Loki, a psychotic alien who tried to take over planet Earth over a few weeks ago, was sent back to Earth with his brother, Thor, regards from their world "Ass-guard" or however the name is pronounced.

Massaging his forehead, Tony waves his hand, signaling Fury to cease his rant about how alien life forms couldn't deal with their own political messes.

"Whoa, whoa, so basically the wacko that tried to invade our planet, is going to be dumped here on Earth?" Tony recaps, squinting at the holographic screen. Nick nods, his face scrunched up in a mixture of a grimace and scowl.

"According to Thor, it seems that the Asguardian authority decreed that this scumbag is to be exiled to Earth until they can decide a proper punishment." Nick explains. "Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D has to cover this case." Tony pours himself some whiskey. He sighs silently to himself. Seriously, it has only been a matter of - what, two or three weeks - yet Tony couldn't catch a break. Boy, he could _really_ go for a sip of that expensive French wine. He takes a long sip from his drink, half-listening to Fury.

"...Now here's the thing, Stark, don't mistaken this as an act of kindness. I'm not too keen myself with S.H.I.E.L.D carrying around the Universe's Most Wanted Intergalatic Criminal. But we gotta force our hand. Some other planet called, 'Jotunheim' wants Loki's head as well. Can't say I blame them—this world declared war on Asgard, which is the reason why they can't deal with Loki immediately." Tony gives a low whistle. "They're searching for Loki, and they have no clue that he's here on Earth. It's our job to cover his identity, and unfortunately, protect him until Asgard hands the bastard his punishment."

"Mmhmm, mm-hmm, mhh." Tony nods his head, swishing the ice cubes with the remains of whiskey in his glass. He gulps down the rest of his drink, and makes a big show of wiping his mouth. "I see, I see. But, may I ask Nick, what does this have to do with me?" He raises an eyebrow, swirling his drink around, the ice cubes making a faint clinking noise.

Fury nods, his mouth set in its usual straight line to mask stoicism, yet his visible left eye is scrunched up in...hesitance. Bracing himself, Tony grabs his bottle of whiskey, not bothering to pour it into his glass this time. "Quick to the point. You see, S.H.I.E.L.D cannot risk carrying this guy around. We're pretty much the most obvious target to infiltrate. We need to give Loki a low profile. And because of that... I decided that Loki was to stay under your watch."

The bottle doesn't make it to Tony's lips. An oakish scent of the contents lingers near Tony's nose. It was extremely tempting to blame the presence of the whiskey for the crap he just heard come out of Fury's mouth. He sets the bottle down, and glances to the screen.

"...Look, Fury buddy, if you're still angry about the Lala-Loopsy Incident, I heavily apologize." Tony couldn't believe he managed to say that with a straight face when he referred to that certain...prank. But still, the leader of S.H.I.E.L.D had to be joking. Or at least tormenting him.

For a fleeting moment, Fury cringes when Tony brings up the Lala-Loopsies. However, he regains composure, straightening his posture. His expression betrays slight sympathy, yet firm. Knowing Nick Fury, Tony knew that whatever comes out of the man's mouth, was the word of God. The CEO of Stark Corporations wouldn't have cared less if Loki were forced to be condemned to an underground prison - but S.H.I.E.L.D, as usual drags him into it.

"Nick. Nick, Nick, Nick, _Nick!_ " Tony wags his finger, his voice a pitch higher. The sort of tone he would use when dealing with sniffy business men at his job. He made sure to add an extra punch of condescending by leaning forward with wide eyes, as if speaking to a incompetent five year old. "I am many things. A genius billionaire playboy philanthropist superhero CEO of a huge corporation for that matter, a great package deal, am I right? But if there is one of the few things that I am _not_ , is a babysitter. I repeat, I AM NOT A BABYSITTER. Especially one for supervillains." Tony leans back, crossing his arms, staring testily at the agent.

Nick disregards this. "Whine all you want genius-billionaire-playboy - and all of that other crap I won't bother to list off." He rolls his one visible eye. "I'm not asking you to treat Loki like the President. All I'm asking you is to keep him within your place, and in a more or less healthy state so we can complete our end of the deal with Asguard. Simple as that."

The billionaire pretends to consider this. "Hmmm, wow, it sounds like an easy job! Oh, but there's just one setback of this job—" Tony snaps his fingers, as if he discovered sliced bread. "That's right, there's the big fat obvious fact that I'll possibly be turned into a mindless slave zombie and/or be obliterated into nothingness! Ahh, that's it! Aren't I a genius?" He scowls remembering the fact that Loki mind controlled one of the Avengers' members, Clint Barton.

Fury's jaw clenches along with his shoulders sagging, tired of this conversation dragging on. "Thor told me that their father casted magical binds on Loki, or whatever. It drains Loki of his magic, so he can't do any crazy, outrageous shit like teleporting or what not. Also, we placed a high tech bracelet on the guy. If he tries to escape or pull any funny shit, we will track him down."

"At least you guys aren't being _that_ reckless."

"Hypocrite," Fury shots back. "So, quit your complaining. Loki will come over to your place tomorrow around 11 o' clock p.m, so be prepared."

Tony lets himself collapse in his pristine white couch. He strokes the surface of the leather material, trying to soothe himself. How in the world can he explain this Pepper? Where's his wine when he needed it?

Seeing no way out of this task forced upon him, Tony finally gives in. Besides, he had some Power Rangers to catch tonight. His day maybe ruined, but at least he still has his favorite TV show. "Whatever Bossman. Just know that I'll give Loki my cheapest looking yet expensive room that I can find in my mansion."

"You go do that. Oh, and by the way," He says, before Tony shuts off the holographic screen.

"What?"

"Thor's also going to be staying with you. He insisted. Agent Fury, out!"

Tony drops his glass. What's that saying? Oh yeah.

"Son of a bitch!"

* * *

Tub of Ben N' Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Swirl? Check.

Vintage glass of "Sprite" which totally-doesn't-contain-Elderwood-apple juice-whiskey? Check.

Flannel pajamas and fluffy blankets? Check, check, and check.

This was the complete set for a perfect, lazy, and not giving a damn of the world Wednesday night. Giving out a great sigh, Tony switches on the flat screen TV to life. Quickly flipping to Nickelodeon, Tony allows a smile when he sees the opening of Power Rangers. At least one thing in his day didn't get screwed over. For an entire half hour straight, Tony gorges on ice cream, chugs his "Sprite", and silently snarks at the ridiculous cheesy dialogue of Power Rangers.

Steady clip-clap of Pepper's high heels click gently against the tiled floor. Hearing this familiar noise, Tony downs the rest of "Sprite", and manages to stuff it in between the pillows of his couch, before she makes an appearance. She leans over the couch, her blonde hair hanging down and tickling his nose.

"Hey there, bright eyes," He greets, winking and giving the best "I-totally-wasn't-drinking" grin.

Pepper laughs, but her nose is scrunched up, wrinkling her face. She gives a quick sniff of his face, trying to identify a familiar scent. Tony takes this opportunity to kiss her straight on the lips. She pulls away, the sides of her mouth curled, but her whole expression firm. She gives a light slap on his cheek.

"I wasn't born yesterday, Anthony. I recognize alcohol anywhere."

He does his best to flash a winning smile - but Pepper is unmoved, taking away his half-full tub of ice cream, and putting it back in the freezer, far out of his reach. Curse his laziness! He makes a point of moaning, clawing the air for his stolen goods.

Taking a seat next to Tony, Pepper says, "From the looks of this scene, work must've been a pain. Something happened?"

"Yup. Yup indeedy-deed. I dunno, I guess it's from the fact that I was assigned to babysit Loki. Y'know, the guy that tried to enslave humanity and all? Ha. Yeah, what a guy."

Pepper's jaw drops open. "What? _That_ guy?" She collapses backwards on the couch, her hand on her forehead. "S.H.I.E.L.D just expects us to take this guy in, and deal with him? They fully expect for us to put our lives on the line, keeping watch over a psychopath?"

"You got that right. Don't worry Peps." Tony brushes some hair out of her eyes, smiling. "Loki has restraints on him, so he's definitely in no position to hurt any of us. Besides, he may have some bullshit magic, but we have the Hulk, remember?" Pepper eases out of her worry, smiling back. "Oh yeah, and Thor is going to be staying here too."

"Oh, that Avenger with the huge hammer?" Pepper taps her chin, thoughtful. "I remember him, seeing him on TV. Didn't you say that he was Loki's brother?" Tony nods, clicking the sound button on the TV remote to low. "Well, that's nice, at least, for someone else to help you keep that guy in check."

Tony snorts. "Haha. I hate to break it Peps, but Thor would only be adding fuel to the dramatic fire."

"You'll manage. Like you always do."

So, Pepper kicks off her heels and throws off her blazer, scooting closer to Tony. He throws a blanket on her shoulders as well, and raises the volume on the TV once again. For a few minutes he and Pepper sit quietly together in each other's arms, watching Power Rangers. A few times, Pepper would protest to change the channel, or quietly complain at the crappy special effects of the kids' show. But all in all, it was perfectly peaceful. Just the way Tony wanted it.

That is, until JARVIS politely disturbs them.

"Excuse me, sir?"

"What is it?" Tony's eyes didn't move an inch off the screen. "Make it snappy JARVIS."

"Ah yes. There is a man going by the name of Abdul Thompson, accompanied with a little girl on your doorstep. He is asking for your presence, immediately."

Tony attempts to dismiss this news, however Pepper is attentive as ever, raising an eyebrow at this news. "Must be a crazed fanboy trying to get into the Stark headquarters. Besides, I've met many people and forgotten about them." He rolls his eyes, smirking slightly. Pepper could only shake her head at her lover's attitude, with a smile playing on her lips.

"Sir, I would send them away, but the information this man holds might be important to you. He says the affairs he must consult with you concerns Jacob Williams and his daughter."

Tony pauses, his eyes finally pulling away from the screen. He glances over to Pepper, who looked slightly surprised, and looks into his eyes for answers. _Jacob Williams? As in…_ He rubs his eyes, and rises to his feet. Well, this got his attention. "A kid?" Tony asks, not really directed at Pepper or JARVIS. "Let them in JARVIS. We'll see what this guy has to say."

"Right away, sir."

Pepper gets up as well, following Tony downstairs to the lobby. They open huge white doors leading outside. Fresh ocean air rushes inside the opened doors. The sky is indigo, reflecting evening. And then, there are the two people JARVIS spoke of - the man and the little girl. Tony scratches the side of his cheek, eyeing this unexpected couple up and down.

"What brings you here?"

"Evening, Mr. Stark. My name is Abdul Thompson." The man, Abdul says, extending a hand. Tony grabs it, giving a half-assed handshake. Abdul pulls his hand away, cringing slightly at the sticky remnants of Tony's late night snack rubbing on his skin. _At least he has the manners of not wiping it away._ Tony notes, satisfied that the man wasn't someone he won't immediately dislike. "I apologize deeply for interrupting you so late at night. But, I have some important matters to discuss with you, concerning your goddaughter."

"Goddaughter?" Pepper echoes. She side-eyes Tony, definitely expecting answers at this point. He tries to signal her back with his eyes for her patience.

"Introduce yourself." Abdul says to the girl beside him.

Now that he mentioned this girl again, Tony directs his attention to her. Up until this moment, he hardly noticed her presence. She hasn't uttered a single word this entire time. All she was doing is staring at her shoes - dull and smudged green rainboots. The color of her dress, a painful neon blue, nearly blinds Tony's eyes. Black bangs block most of the girl's face. For a moment, she peeks out of her curtain of hair. Tony only gawks. She returns to the tedious activity of staring straight at her feet.

Abdul sighs. "Forgive her for her silence. I thought she would at least introduce herself to her remaining guardian, but...her name is Aiyanna Williams. She has not been speaking at all ever since her case has come under my care. May we come in, so I can properly explain the situation?"

Tony lets his head match something close to a nod. He steps to the side, watching Abdul and Aiyanna enter. He looks the little girl up and down, trying to search for a resemblance to Jacob Williams. Aiyanna doesn't make this any easier for him, with her face closed off from his eyes. Pepper taps him on the shoulders, her eyebrows scrunched up.

"We're gonna find out what's happening. Together." She emphasizes, pecking him on the cheek, seeing Tony's non-plus expression.

Regaining his senses, he gives a lopsided smile. "Definitely."

* * *

 **A/N: This certainly is a long first chapter! Hope you peeps appreciate the rewrite! A lot of things have been changed - as you notice the appearance of Abdul and Aiyanna's personality. More will be revealed. Reviews are very much appreciated! Signing out!**


	2. Absolutely Fine

_**"You don't love someone because they're perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they're not."**_

 **― Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper**

* * *

 **~Chapter Two~**

There wasn't even a trial. How thoughtful of Odin. Loki curls his lips back, forming a sneer. He wishes that the Allfather could see his expression - but they chain him up and put him in shackles like some sort of savage. Now, he may be unhinged in their eyes, but it doesn't mean he lost any sense of courtesy. A bunch of hypocrites, all of them. Loki wriggles his jaw back and forth, trying to bring sensation back to the lower part of his face. The metal mask clamped on his jaw doesn't do any good, restricting him of comfort. Bruises will be left on his pale wrists for weeks to come, thanks to the freezing cold shackles.

He makes a point of staring straight at the ground. Odin's voice booms in the incredibly empty Great Throne Room. Yes, there is no trial. His oh-so-great father, did not even care enough to prepare one. In his case, he is guilty. Not even given the benefit of the doubt. Well, not like Loki would pretend to feign ignorance. He knows damn well what he committed, and he is not the coward his family members believe him to be.

"Listen to me, for Vahalla's sake, Loki." Odin pounds his staff. Pure gold crashes with the copper tiled floor. The contact matches something similar to booming thunder. This hardly disturbs Loki. He stares on, straight at the shiny copper floor. Avoiding. Avoiding the pitiful side glances of Thor who is behind him, the betrayed gentle gaze of Frigga, and the burning one-eyed stare of the Asguardian King. "Are you so deep in denial that you refuse to speak? Look me in the eye?" Odin demands.

"Do you not realize the actions you committed has caused intergalatic chaos? Asgardians are doubting my ways of ruling. Jotunheim asks for your head to be served on a bloody platter. Rumors of an unidentified planet ploys to attack our home. There are preparations for a war. _Do you not understand_?"

Ah, the copper floor proves to be truly interesting. Shiny, polished, just right to reflect a distorted version of Loki's appearance. Warped. Blurry. A perfect image for the God of Lies.

There is a painful silence between all four family members, Loki refusing to fill the void demanding an answer from him. Dignity has been stripped from him, respect has been ripped away, victory has been wrenched from his hands, and pride has been trampled nearly to oblivion. Lest he could do was cling onto his right of words - by choosing to not use them at all.

"You deserve something worse than death. Do you hear me, _Laufeyson?_ "

"Odin." Frigga gasps. "Please. He is of our kin -"

"But he is not of blood. Is he, Frigga?"

"You cannot erase memories."

"You cannot fake blood. He is no son of ours."

Loki squeezes his fingers into his palms. He relishes the sting of the cuts being opened by his ragged and uneven fingernails that have not been trimmed for ages. Oozing liquid drips steadily out of the wounds. The air mingles with his blood, delivering a cool and fresh sting. His teeth are clenched together so stiffly, Loki is surprised they are not shattering into thousands of pieces. Finally, he raises his eyes to meet Frigga and Odin.

Odin, is looking straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge his presence or Frigga's pleas. Frigga is doing her best to fight in the name of Loki - why even bother? Why does she not give up on him like everybody else?

"Delivering a punishment now will be improper of fulfilling the sins you have committed in the name of Asgard." The King says dryily. "Whatever Asguardian blood that will be shed from this upcoming war, because of you, Loki Laufeyson," Loki digs his nails deeper into his palms, forcing a smile. Yes, smile. All he could do… "Your fate rests in the Council after the damage is dealt. I hope you are proud of yourself." Odin spits, as if speaking of vermin.

"For an unestimated amount of time, you shall be exiled to Midguard, until the war is over. Then, Asguardian justice will be carried out."

Loki tilts his head, looking dead at the All Father.

"You will regret giving me such a chance."

* * *

 _I, Jacob Williams, residing at Wisteria Way, Casca Town, New Mexico, declare this to be my official Will, and I revoke any and all forms of wills I have written in the past._

 _I direct my executer, Abdul Thompson to pay my enforceable unsecured debts and funeral expenses, the expenses of my last illness, and the expenses of administering my estate. I entrust my executer to have temporary custody of my daughter, Aiyanna Aster Williams, if it is in the event I am dying, near death, or already dead. I appoint Anthony Stark, legal godfather of Aiyanna (see legal document and signatures here), as her next living guardian._

There it was, in fine print. Written by Jacob himself. Tony glances over to Pepper and Aiyanna, who are sitting in front of the lobby's TV, watching a late night show of Teen Titans. Pepper is attempting to talk to the girl, but this entire time, Aiyanna does not utter a word aside from nodding or shaking her head. Abdul waits patiently across of Tony, drinking a glass of water. Tony flips through the twenty-pages-thickful of Jacob's will.

In the back, lo and behold, is a certificate, signed by Tony himself. He can recognize the trademark crazy and loopy cursive signature, officially preserving his consent to be Aiyanna's godfather. So, this isn't a hoax after all, is it?

Tony gives a cough, setting the novel worthy amount of papers down on the table. For the first time in forever, he couldn't come up with a witty quip or a last minute snark in this situation. _Never even got to say goodbye, huh? Damnit Jacob...damnit._

"What...what was the cause of his death?"

Abdul swallows the last drops of water from his glass, and takes a moment to wipe his mouth with a pasty blue handkerchief. Tony couldn't help but give him the eye, packed full with an extra side of judgment. If Abdul noticed this, he did an awful good job of covering any shame up. The other man looks somberly into his eyes.

"Trauma to the head in a car accident. Actually, well, as you know the chaos that stormed the world a few weeks ago…" Abdul pats some sweat from his shiny forehead. "The more technical term would be...murder. The car, part of a German taxi service, was struck by a force causing it to veer to an untimely accident."

"Loki." It didn't even come out as a question. It was a plain fact. Tony's grip on the stack of papers tighten.

Abdul nods, clasping his hands together. "Yes. Mr. Williams died shortly before he could even make it to the hospital. Strangely, the girl sustained no critical injuries," Abdul pauses along with Tony, for both men to glance at Pepper and Aiyanna. "However, she has been absolutely mute ever since the traumatic incident. Mr. Stark, I know that your occupation requires you daily to risk your life and safety. Taking care of a child maybe the last thing on your mind. But you are Aiyanna Williams' last living guardian."

Tony clears his throat, his tongue dry. "What happened to the mother?"

"Disappeared without a trace after Aiyanna turned five years of age. Strange enough, there are no records of the mother's past - from any database. There is only basic information, such as her name and birthdate. Mrs. Williams has no background or any known living relatives that Aiyanna can turn to. This goes for Mr. Williams as well." Abdul explains. Tony tugs at the collar of his pajamas.

He turns slightly to the couch where Pepper sits, staring at the back of her head. Desperately, he mentally tries to signal her to look back at him - to give him some sort of sign. She doesn't turn around. _Gotta work on those telepathic messages, right?_ The joke falls flat on its face. Tony takes a good swallow of whatever saliva is left in his mouth. God, he needs a drink. In the few minutes Abdul allows him to gather his thoughts, Tony runs through every possibility in his mind.

 _Shit. Shit. Shit. I can't say no. I can't say no. Yeah, sure, I'm an asshole, but I'm not some heartless bastard. This is Jacob's kid we're talking about. My technical goddaughter. Shit. Shit. Daughter? Daughter? This kid is gonna be my daughter? No, key difference Tony, she's just your GODdaughter. No biggie. No big deal. Just a kid. She's just a kid._

 _I'm not ready. For the love of my suit, I am not ready._

"Bathroom. Yeah, gotta go." Tony speeds off, fleeing to his safehouse. He is forced to walk by Aiyanna and Pepper - his girlfriend glances away from the TV, and gives him a funny look. He does not stop for a second. Zooming left down a long hallway illuminated faintly by soft yellow lights, he manages to find the bathroom. Fumbling the doorknob, he forces himself inside the cubicle-like space, and slams the door behind him.

Tony sucks in a huge amount of Febreeze strawberry and green apple scented air (seriously, what sort of sick combination is that?) - courtesy of Pepper - and wheezes out. _Remember to breathe goddamnit!_ Why is he freaking out? _I mean, all I just gotta do is take in the kid. It's that simple._ Tony faces the mirror. The sickly bright white lights of the bathroom makes his bloodshot eyes pop out more in the mirror. Arm shooting out, he flips the metal faucet to release cold water. He scoops the cascading liquid onto his face.

The freezing coldness stings his flesh, but Tony continues dumping water on himself. He pays no attention to wetting the front of his shirt and baggy sleeves. Once properly drenching the entire top of his sleeved shirt, Tony slams the water off. He blinks at his reflection. In the mirror is a man with a soggy goatee and water dripping from his face. Welp, this certainly is his best appearance. Grabbing a towel, Tony drapes it over his head, and takes a seat on the close lidded toilet.

He wonders what Pepper would do. She has to have a say in the matter. Being the sweetheart that she is, of course she would take the kid in, no hesitations. That's just the way she is - always tackling any obstacle in her way without any hesitation. Unlike him. He rubs the towel into his damp hair, trying to wring out whatever is left of the water. Pfft, they weren't even married yet, but they're gonna raise a kid already? That's just the way his life has to be - speeding forward without brakes.

Married. Huh. Tony shivers, and not from the cold water soaked into his shirt. Throwing the towel off to the side and clasping his hands over his face, Tony gives a short yell. One thing after another, and he can't even keep up!

If he could talk to Pepper right now, what would she say? She has never been the pushy and eager sort of woman that talks of marriage and babies all of the time, thank God. Everything she handles, she does with class and snappiness. The woman knows how to carry herself - Tony smiles thinking of her - and God, that's why he loves her. Knowing her after all of this time, she would have no problem taking in Aiyanna. The only problem is _him_ , isn't it?

His eyes fixate on the metal shower head inside the rectangular bathtub. A stuffed monkey with freakishly long arms is tied around the metal pipe. Button eyes look at him, and a stitched red smile is permanently embedded into the toy's face. Once again, the little detail is a courtesy of Pepper. Tony sighs, and asks the monkey, "What the hell is scaring me?"

Of course, a completely inanimate object cannot answer this question. But even in the event where said inanimate object could answer - Tony shakes his head.

"Nobody can't answer this except myself, huh?"

* * *

No words are exchanged between Loki and Thor. And Loki preferred to keep it that way. Transported back to Midgard into a S.H.I.E.L.D base, Midguardians in uniformed black suits sweep away Thor and Loki through the twisting hallways of the human establishment.

As they make their way through the long corridors of S.H.I.E.L.D's new base, a few times it looked as if Thor were about to say something to Loki. He retaliates these futile attempts by giving Thor such a withering look, that it shuts up his oaf of a brother, before he could say a word. Agents littering the hallway, plenty of times, stop and send glares at Loki as they passed by. One even had the pleasure of flipping a middle finger off at him - ah, a warm gesture.

Finally, the two gods made it to their destination, where their escorts abandoned them. Entering the room, the first thing that meets Loki's sight is a gun pointing straight at his head. Reflexively, Loki calls upon the magic coursing through his veins to teleport out of the room to safety - but the shining golden binds locked on his wrists and ankles sear into his flesh. A hiss escapes Loki's mouth, followed quickly by him backing away when he realized his powerless state.

Thor, makes a move to grasp the handle of Mjölnir. He sends a glare matching a brewing thunderstorm, worthy of sending any normal mortal into a state of fear. But, the Midguardians at S.H.I.E.L.D were not like normal men. The eye-patched mortal - the leader of this facility - sits at his desk, unmoving, armed with a weapon that is also pointed at Loki. It's good to know that he's welcomed so graciously by Thor's friends.

"Man of Fury, what is the meaning of this?" Thor questions.

Fury's one visible eye sizes Loki up. Loki retains a neutral expression, staring straight ahead.

"He harmless like you say?"

"Yes. My brother is bound to magical bracelets that limit him of his powers. He can do no harm with his magic."

Loki clenches his teeth when he heard Thor refer to him as _that_. Even after all of this time, that idiot insists - he bites his tongue. He is at the enemy's territory. Now is not the best time to have his mouth running off. Fury raises an eyebrow. Finally, he shoves the gun into his desk, slamming the compartment shut. He nods to the agents.

"Alright people. No threat here. You can leave."

The agents put their guns away - Loki can still feel their shaded gazes locked on him - but just as Fury ordered, they walk out of the room, silent. Fury opens a drawer, and pulls out a brown folder. Kicking his legs up on the desk - Loki wrinkles his nose at the man's informality - he opens the folder.

"I'm gonna make this recap snappy - so your brother is exiled temporarily to Earth. And two other planets want his head." Fury takes a moment to glare at Loki. In turn, Loki bares a smile back - not like the man could see it in the first place, since this irritating muzzle is still strapped to his jaw. "Not like I blame them."

"Indeed, Sir Fury." Thor nods his head. "Jotunheim swears vengeance against my home, so they are at war with Asgard. As for the Chitauri, they are still searching for Loki, I fear."

"Hmph, he sure put your homeworld through a load of shit." He scowls both at the folder and Loki. "We're gonna have to give him a new identity and low profile." He flips open the folder on the desk, laying it open for them to see. A picture of a man is inside the folder, along with documents. Loki peers at the papers, taking note of the picture displaying a man with cropped dirty blonde hair with the faintest signs of a stubbly beard and bright blue eyes that pop out even in the lighting of a photo.

"This is who you will be from now on." Nick addresses Loki. "You're a distant cousin of Virginia Potts who is temporarily staying under the household of Tony Stark -"

"I am going to be under that insolent mortal's watch?" Loki speaks for the first time, in spite of himself. There is only so much stupidity he can handle within a day. Fury twists his mouth into a sneer, jeering at Loki from seat when he finally hears the ex-supervillain speak.

"Yeah, you heard me right. And you have no say in the matter."

"This is for the best, brother."

"Don't call me that!" Loki tenses, hunching his shoulders.

Fury coughs, sensing the impending tension in the air. "You must keep low profile until then. As for you," The mortal looks at Loki. "You can't leave this place till you get your little makeover."

"Define makeover." Retorts Loki, trying his best to sneer back at Fury. The cursed muzzle is still in the way, limiting facial expressions.

"Just a bit of a haircut, make up, all of that jazz to make you look like a decent human being." Fury presses a button in his desk, summoning two agents instantly. "Thor, this'll only take a little bit." Loki did his best to send death glares at the mortals Fury summoned, when they put their hands on his arms. _Grubby Midguardian riffraff._ He seethes along with the binds burning his flesh.

Thor bows his head. "Whatever measures you must take to preserve Loki's identity and exile here on Midgard. I cannot thank you enough for agreeing to share this burden in the name of Asgard."

Fury's eye twinkles in amusement, his lips tugged into a near smile. Hmph, Loki wasn't aware the always scowling mortal is aware of other expressions. "No problem Thunderman. Now, all of you, outta my office."

* * *

There was no need for Tony to rush. Pepper does not bomrade him with endless questions like what some other people would. Instead, she lets him concentrate on reading the piles of papers Abdul left him. As he reads through the papers, she prepares his ultimate comfort drink - coffee. Black with only three sugar cubes. Taking Aiyanna into consideration, Pepper prepares a cup of hot chocolate sprinkled with cinnamon. As for herself, she brews her favorite tea - a simple cup of peppermint with a spoonful of honey. Holding Tony's coffee and a thick black mug and her tea in a delicate porcelain cup, she delivers the warm drinks to the counter.

Shortly, she delivers Aiyanna's late night drink. The girl is still sitting in front of the TV, watching whatever is on. Pepper bites the bottom of her lip, scrunching her eyebrows. She wonders if the little girl will ever speak.

"Here you go Aiyanna. I hope you like cinnamon on your hot chocolate." She says, setting it gently on the coffee table in front of her.

Aiyanna blinks, and looks at Pepper. She gives the tiniest of nods, barely visible. Pepper gives an encouraging smile, wishing she could pat the kid's head. But Aiyanna didn't seem quite comfortable around her yet.

The entire time Tony and Abdul was conversing, Pepper tried her best to make Aiyanna feel at home. The most she would get out of of the little girl was nodding or shaking her head. No smiles to indicate happiness or comfort, no twists of the mouth for confusion. Aiyanna's face stays a neutral expression, staring straight ahead at the screen most of the time she spent with her.

 _I really do hope we can help her with whatever trauma the poor girl has been through._ Pepper breathes in the aromatic scents her tea has to offer. The minty smell soothes her nerves.

"Christ Pepper," Tony says to her, his lips perking into a smile at the sight of coffee. He takes a long sip, somehow being able to handle the scalding water. Pepper has no idea how he built up such resistance. She rests her hand over the cup of her tea, enjoying the warmth being emitted from her drink. "The kid has a lot of medical problems…" He frowns at the paper, eyes scouring information. "Epilepsy, progressive blindness, and asthma...Christ." He shakes his head, running a hand through thick hair. "I hope I don't end up accidentally killing the kid."

"Don't be so dramatic. We'll manage her fine." She edges closer to him, dragging her spoon around the cup. Golden liquid turns into a mini vortex thanks from the movement. "Are you going to fill me in?"

Tony raises his eyebrows, followed quickly by his eyes widening. "Oh...yeah...that." He twitches a smile, and pauses to down the rest of his coffee. After a huge swallow, he clears his throat. "Right. Let me explain. Long story short, I used to be very close friends with Jacob Williams. Y'know, father of the kid." He nods his head in the direction of Aiyanna.

"I met him in the boarding school my parents shipped me off to. I was the shrimp of high school - cuz what sort of teenaged jerk would wanna be friends with a toddler in their eyes? Well, not Jacob. He was a great guy, after he got my back when we flooded the Headmaster's room with blue-dyed water. Oh boy, that was an adventure."

Pepper laughs, seeing Tony's eyes glaze over at the memories of his school days. She takes his hand, signaling him to go on.

"Yeah, so, uhm, we kept some contact after we graduated. He contacted me outta the blue, one day, when I was like - erm, maybe twenty-four? And he asked if I could be the godfather of his daugher. Couldn't make it the actual ceremony, so I had to sign some documents the legal way. A damn shame I didn't bother to see my goddaughter in person. Jacob sent a photo of the kid - she was so small and tiny, still in those glass boxes they put babies in sometimes."

"Incubators?" Pepper reminds him.

"Yeah, yeah, those things! After I signed the papers, we tried writing each up, heck one time I tried having a meet and greet with him and his wife - never worked out. In the end, we just...drifted. Like, stopped talking, you know?" Tony taps the side of his mug, eyes downcast. "That's a mini Tony Stark history lesson 101. Should I quiz you?"

Pepper rolls her eyes, and sips her tea. Setting it down, she frowns in realization.

"...What happened to her father?"

"He died in Germany." Tony's jaw noticeably tightens. His hands curl into fists. "Where the Avengers and I caught Loki. Not after he managed to cause so much damn chaos. He had a huge helping hand with Jacob's death."

She gasps at the truth Tony revealed. "Oh my god...he…" Her expression darkens as well. "He's coming over tomorrow. My god, should we tell Aiyanna?"

"How are we going to tell her? Tell the kid, "Hey, we're gonna be your new family, but you gotta deal living with the guy who technically murdered your father?" Tony shakes his head, slamming the mug on the counter. Pepper doesn't even bother to scold him for this. "Who knows what the kid has seen already? I mean, we can't fuck this up Pepper. I fucked up a lot in my life, but I sure as hell don't want to make another mistake with this kid."

Pepper squeezes his hand, coaxing it out of its stiff and clammy state. "I know Tony. I know. She's...she's practically going to be our child, isn't she?" Watching Tony closely, his shoulders stiffen and he turns away. "I know this is really terrifying. And this completely came out of the blue. But I know, we're going to pull through this. We're the power couple." Pepper pecks him on his stubbly cheek. Melon-scented shaving cream tickles her nose.

"It's just that...God, Peps, I'm not ready. You're sure as hell ready, you're _always_ ready, but I'm not. I'm just gonna weigh us down. I'm not cut out to be - some - father! It's not like I have a good example to follow." His hand tightens around Pepper. Sweat is coating the surface of his palm. Pepper lets their hands stay in their tight embrace. He needs it. "Besides, kids need attention, discipline, responsibility, affection... things I don't have. Things I can't buy or solve with money or my brains."

"You'll learn along the way. That's what all parents do. You think parents ever have a clue what they're doing when they're raising a kid? Nobody does Tony!" Pepper runs her free right hand through his hair. She rests her forehead against his warm and damp one. "Repeat after me: You're going to be absolutely fine."

Tony breathes out, breath shaky and uneven. His eyes open, revealing his brilliant blue eyes once again. "You're going to be absolutely fine." He repeats, one side of his mouth upturning.

"Don't be a smartass."

"Now _that's_ impossible to ask."

Both giggle at the exchange. Pepper makes herself comfy, managing to wring her left hand out of Tony's iron grasp. She drapes her arms on his shoulders, her forehead still connected to his. Him, his usual white smile returning, puts his hands on her waist. The couple stare into each other's eyes, breathing in synch. Pepper strokes the back of his neck.

"Absolutely. You will be absolutely fine."

* * *

 **A/N: Awww yeah. It was super nice writing such a fluffy moment between Tony and Pepper. I find their ship so adorable. I bet you guys (at least those who read the Old Version) are wondering why Aiyanna is so quiet. I decided to take her personality and reaction to her father's death much differently. I hope y'all peeps like this chapter! Stay in tune for the next chapter! Signing out!**


	3. Banana Pancakes and Reflections

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait folks! Life got in the way, I got a little stumped, and I rewatched The Avengers movie to get a feel of the characters again. Thank you all, for being so patient!**

* * *

" **Why didn't I learn to treat everything like it was the last time. My greatest regret was how much I believed in the future."**

― _**Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close**_

* * *

 **~Chapter Three~**

It wasn't uncommon for Tony to wake up randomly around two in the morning to get a drink. _A drink of water._ He corrects himself, glancing over to a sleeping Pepper. Her blonde hair is splayed on the soft blue pillows, and eyes shut in a peaceful state. Not being able to resist such a cute sight, Tony gives a quick smooch on Pepper's forehead. She reacts by shifting her covers, a smile tugging her lips. As quietly as he could manage, he shuffles into the hallway.

Walking down the dimly lit hallway, Tony looks out of the windows. Night is still covering the sea that his Californian mansion is overlooking. Crashes of the waves against the rocky cliffs are like a distant thunderstorm. Feeling a bit more awake, Tony strolls on for his mini quest. _Wonder why we left the lights on?_ Walking further down, he stops seeing a door slightly ajar. _That's where the kid's sleeping._ He edges closer, hand reaching for the knob. Some childish curiosity seizes his impulses, to check on the kid.

 _Is what happened last night - a few hours ago - even real?_ Not thinking much on his actions, Tony opens the door. The light from the hallway spills into the dark room. The door creaks open, revealing Aiyanna. Her face is tear streaked and her eyes red and puffy. She's hiccuping softly, shivering. The unexpected presence of light makes her blink rapidly. When she sees Tony, she aggressively wipes her face, but her small shoulders shake.

"Got a case of the waterworks, huh?" Tony struggles to find words. "It's okay, uhm, kid. Erm, how bout' we go to the kitchen? I was going to have a midnight snack, y'know?" He turns around, and swiftly walks away. Tiny footsteps follow after. Once he lead Aiyanna to the kitchen, she finds her way to a bright red chair positioned near the counter, and clambers on top of it. Tears are no longer running down her face, but hiccups still escape the little girl.

Suddenly, Tony wondered how he felt when his parents died from the car crash. All he could remember was...an emptiness. Lots of drinking. Work. Learning even more useless stuff from school. No tears, no despair, no sadness. His parents' death didn't have a huge impact on Tony. Half of his childhood, he got shipped off to a rich boarding school. But he remembers that he couldn't help but feel a huge fat blank in his life. And he still didn't get over that huge fat blank.

Pouring some water into the electric boiler and flipping some buttons, he turns to the cabinet to find a can of hot chocolate. Maybe even a bottle of beer, if he's lucky.

As he was preparing their drinks, Tony wonders how he should ask Aiyanna what she felt about her father's death. _Hell, does she even want to talk about it?_ His stomach lurches at the idea of talking and analyzing a little girl's feelings about such an emotional topic. _I'm not a therapist. You should just wait out the storm._ _And the kid doesn't seem set on talking anytime soon._ Tony scoops up some cocoa powder into two white mugs, followed by hot water. Rummaging through the fridge, he manages to find a half full bottle of vodka, stashed away. He opens it and furtively pours some into his drink, pushing the other untainted mug towards Aiyanna.

Her little hands grab the sides, and she brings it close to her face.

Her hiccups finally subsided, but her cloudy brown eyes are still a scary shade of red. The ever talkative Tony Stark, who would always make a comment and couldn't stand a quiet moment, sits in silence at the counter with the little girl as they drink hot chocolate.

"You gonna keep that mouth shut forever, kid?"

Aiyanna glances up at him. Her upper lip is covered in a brown moustache, thanks to the hot cocoa. Tony half-smiles, pushing a napkin towards her. He taps his lips.

"Got a little something there."

Getting his message, Aiyanna wipes her mouth. Disappointment sinks in Tony's stomach, followed by a spike of frustration. What is up with this girl? She has to speak sooner or later! Hell, when his parents died, he didn't shut up. Why was Aiyanna letting something permanent affect her so deeply?

"You're going to have to get over it." Tony sets his mug down, staring hard at Aiyanna. She responds by looking away, and pushing her drink to the side. "I know it's sad and traumatizing and all - but you can't let something like this bring you down. People won't appreciate it if you're silent and you can actually speak."

Nothing. Aiyanna is still looking away, arms crossed over her little chest. Uh-oh. Once again, Tony lets his mouth get the best of him. He rubs his hand over his face, feeling every wrinkle, worry line, and coarse facial hair. Getting up, he dumps his drink into the sink. The thick sweetness of chocolate lingers in his mouth, the vodka a foul aftertaste.

"When you're done, you can put the mug in the sink," Tony mutters out of the corner of his mouth. He proceeds to shuffle back into the dimly lit hallway. _Who knows what tomorrow - well, technically today will smack me in the face with?_ He thinks, not particularly looking forward to a long day back at the CEO Stark Corporations office and the demigods crashing at his mansion…

Plastic scrapes against marble. Tony turns his head, and sees Aiyanna shying away from him, but still trailing behind. He frowns, but shrugs it off, continuing to walk down the hallway. Soft footsteps follow him, rhythmic and light. When he reaches his door, Aiyanna is still behind, bangs covering her eyes. Her arms are crossed behind, and she is looking at the floor.

"You don't want to go to bed?"

She doesn't reply, eyes still trained on the floor. She takes a step forward. Tony's perplexed frown loosens up, realizing what Aiyanna wanted. He opens the door a bit wider.

"Alright, alright kid. You can crash in my bedroom."

Aiyanna darts past him, without waiting for any more commentary. She scrambles into the bed, pulling the covers immediately over her head. He chuckles slightly. Despite the kid being refusing to speak, she still has those childish tendencies. Joining Pepper and Aiyanna, he takes his place in bed. Aiyanna stole all of the covers, clutching it over her body like a lifeline.

"No need to be so pushy kid," Tony mumbles, but sleeps easily without his blankets anyway.

* * *

" _ **You think you know**_ **pain** _ **?"**_ _Loki hears the cold whispery voice of The Other hiss into his ear. Never had he felt this close to death before. Loki's heart is beating fast. But he musn't show fear. He musn't show weakness…_

 _The Other bares his teeth, a mockery of a grin when Loki shows no reaction._

" _ **We will make you know something as sweet as**_ **PAIN.** "

 _A clawed, withered hand rakes its nails across his face - bringing a splintered and mindblowingly horrendous cold. This cold cannot even begin to be compared to winters in Asguard, the harsh environments of Jotunheim, or the typical body temperature of Frost Giants...no, no...it was a true cold that made him shiver up and down his spine._

* * *

Loki's eyes fly open.

He shudders at the ghostly dream - more like a premonition for his fate. Why would he dream of that... _him_ …? Loki smiles bitterly to himself. Well. It's only a matter of time before _they_ find him. Even in his sleep, they haunt him, a cruel reminder. He's a walking dead man...

His eyes adjusting to the unfamiliar environment, they start aching. The unnatural, manmade lights installed within the "jet" hurts his sleep-ridden eyes. Wincing, Loki tries to raise his arms. _Clink!_ A metal clasp is shut tight around Loki's right wrist, chained to the arm of the leather chair he sits in. He scowls, attempting to move his arm again, to no avail. _It is a nice change of scenery from the muzzle._ Loki grits his teeth, jaw still aching from the metal contraption that restrained the lower part of his face.

Thor is sitting in an aisle across from his section, deep in sleep. Snores rise out of his mouth, disturbing the sterile and white environment of the small space. Loki cringes each time Thor makes another noise. His appearance isn't any better, drool running out of the side of his mouth and his stupid hammer cradled in his arms like some sort of toy. Curling his mouth in distaste, Loki turns away from the unpleasant sight.

Scanning his surroundings more, to the far left corner sits one of S.H.I.E.L.D's agents - Maria was it? Even in her sleep, she is still rigid and stiff. Her hands are entwined in a permanent pose, neatly placed over her lap. Orange objects are stuffed in both of her ears - a smart move being trapped in a place with a sleeping Thor.

His eyes fall on his lap, seeing a book. _Lord of the Flies_ bold black letters stretching across the cover. He picks it up, seeing a paper stuck among the pages, marking the place where he left off. If there was any consolation from this horrid trip to that insolent Man of Iron's home, Loki once again finds comfort in books. Shoved away into a compartment of his seat, Loki managed to snag it and start reading the book for his own pleasure.

Seeing no use in going back to sleep, Loki flips open to wear he left off.

" _A rounded patch of sunlight fell on his face and a brightness appeared in the depths of the water. He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger. He_

 _spilt the water and leapt to his feet, laughing-"_

"RaaaaaUUUUGGHHHHhhh!"

Loki jumps, cursing from the sudden noise. He glances immediately over to Thor, not even needing to deduce the location of the disrupting sound. Sending a glare that can stab, Loki hoped somehow his murderous look can shut up Thor or even better, choke him in his sleep, so he could finally shut up. Not in the Allfather's good graces. Deep rumbles continue to emit from the ridiculously tall Asguardian.

Thor being shoved into such a tiny place of this jet was truly an idiotic idea on the Midguardians' part. He looks so awkward, out of place, a sore thumb. His head is a shy foot away from the ceiling. Long muscled legs are poorly fit in between the tiny space Thor's seat has to offer. His ungodly height compared to the teeny tiny mortals is truly laughable, in the end. Thor's snores quieting down - well, if his snoring can be compared to a bile snap running around is the most "quiet" he could be, Loki might as well just take it.

Concentrating on the page and drowning out his environment, Loki goes back to reading.

" _\- laughing excitedly. Beside the pool his sinewy body held up a mask that drew their eyes and appalled them. He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling. He capered toward Bill, and the mask was a thing on its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame - "_

"GraaaaUUUGGHHhhhHHH!"

Loki exhales deeply, laying down the book. The faint rumbling of the engines in the background, along with Thor's obnoxious snoring certainly did not create an

appropriate reading environment. Resting his chin on his left hand, he gazes out of the circular window. Black paints the sky. Clouds blow past the jet, like lost ghosts. There is not a star in the sky. Below, though, are Midguardian structures and buildings decorated with the occasional blue, red, and green, but mostly yellow lights.

 _That all could've been yours._

Clenching his teeth, Loki tears his gaze away from the window. Can he find no peace? Grasping the arms of his leather chair - Loki finds that digging his nails into the soft material feels rather good, in fact - he tries to sort his labyrinth of endless thoughts. The book. Yes, his thoughts on the book.

 _Surprisingly mature for a book written by a mortal. Golding, his name was?_ Loki glances at the cover of the book to confirm his thoughts. _Golding. He has the right idea._ Loki's thoughts run over the boys on the island - Jack, Ralph, Piggy, Roger...a bunch of prominent figures. Quite obvious what each child represented. _The conch in the book is solid evidence what mortals ultimately crave. Power._ Loki grabs a handful of hair.

No longer is it long, greasy, and black, but the mortals changed his hair color to a dark blonde. Trimmed away his mess of a hair, it is now sleek and neat. Almost the way he preferred his hair before Thor's coronation...Loki shakes such thoughts of the past from his head. After the little "makeover" the mortals had the nerve of forcing upon him, Loki refuses to look directly at a mirror.

 _Funny how mortals acknowledge the darkest extensions of their nature in fiction, yet they cannot bear to apply it to their puny little lives. A bunch of hypocrites, all of them. They deny the greatest truth._

Loki thinks back to the scene he made in Germany, before the soldier and man of iron had to spoil his fun. How satisfying it was, to see hundreds of mortals kneel so easily to his will. Their eyes staring up at him, waiting for his next command, for they know that if they disobey a potential ruler, then with a flick of his wrist he can cut their laughingly short lives. Oh, the power he had at his fingertips...He squeezes his hands shut. On his palm, he can feel the scars he made at Odin's "trial."

 _I wouldn't want to re-open them._ Loosening his grip, Loki brings his gaze to looking outside of the window. Hungrily, he peers at the acres upon acres of land that could've been _his._

 _In the end, it was a sick, sick fever dream, wasn't it?_ The voice of reason he was once so in touch with, sounds so, so, so far away.

* * *

Pepper squints at the computer screen. _I hope we still have some vanilla extract._ She worries, rummaging through the cupboards. Jack Johnson's soft voice sings the lyrics of Pepper's all time favorite traditional song to make breakfast to, "Banana Pancakes."

" _Waking up too early_

 _Maybe we can sleep in_

 _Make you banana pancakes_

 _Pretend like it's the weekend now_ ,"

Pepper mouths the words to the lyrics, the words practically embedded in her memory. Pushing some paprika, bottles of preserved pickles, and jams out of the way, she finally sees the tiny bottle of vanilla extract in the back corner.

"Ah-ha!" She smiles in triumph, grabbing the bottle. Turning around, she places it on the counter with the other ingredients for breakfast. There is Aiyanna, sitting in the chair, quiet as ever. "Oh! You're awake!" Pepper gives her best smile. "You're so quiet, I didn't even hear you come behind me." Aiyanna waves a little at her, a simple greeting. Pepper smiles even wider, waving back. "Guess what I'm making?"

She lets Aiyanna look over all of the various items on the counter.

"Banana pancakes!"

Aiyanna's expression brightens up considerably. Her back straights, along with her eyes widening. _Success!_ Pepper cheers in her mind, proud for getting a positive reaction out of the so far mute little girl.

"You want to help out?"

Aiyanna responds with a nod.

Pepper claps her hands. "Great! Here, I'll let you do one of the best parts." She goes over to Aiyanna's side of the table, with a bowl containing two brown eggs. "All you need to do is crack these eggs open, and whisk them!" Pepper raises a hand-operated whisker. Aiyanna looks at them, leaning in with fascination. "You ever beat eggs before?" Aiyanna nods, assent. "Can you crack the eggs?" Aiyanna pauses for thought, then shakes her head. "Alright, I can show you!"

She takes an egg in her hand, handing the other one to Aiyanna. "Here, watch me closely." Pepper positions the egg near the lip of the glass bowl. She taps the egg against the side. A faint crack is heard. White lines spiderweb across the brown surface of the egg. Aiyanna watches closely, egg clutched in her hands. Pepper taps the egg again, the crack becoming wider. A third tap, and yellow contents start spilling into the bowl. She splits the egg open, all of its insides dripping into it.

"Just like that!" Pepper puts the eggshells into the trashcan, and rinses her hands. All this time Aiyanna stares back and forth between the egg in her hands and the glass bowl, as if intimidated by such a task. She returns to Aiyanna, folding her arms on the surface of the counter. "Go on! Just do it like I did."

Encouraged by Pepper's statement, Aiyanna taps - the much more appropriate description is _slamming_ the egg onto the bowl. Egg explodes from the impact, yellow insides dripping onto the counter. The eggs crumbles in Aiyanna hands, brown shards scattered everywhere. Aiyanna sits there, stunned, looking wide-eyed at the brutality she imposed upon the once whole egg. Aiyanna then looks at Pepper, bottom lip trembling and eyes still wide.

Pepper starts laughing, both at Aiyanna's startled reaction and her failed attempt at breaking the egg.

"Don't worry! I bet nobody ever gets it right on the first try." She says to Aiyanna, as she collects some paper towels. Pepper wipes the mess away, handing some paper towels to Aiyanna. Once that was dealt with, Pepper returns to Aiyanna with another egg. Aiyanna looks warily at it, then back at her still sticky hands from the remains of the last egg. "It wouldn't hurt to try again. Afterall, eggs are the most important part of pancake batter!" Pepper jokes, putting the egg gently into her hands.

" _Ain't no need, ain't no need, mmm, mmm,_

 _Can't you see, can't you see?_

 _Rain all day, and I don't mind…"_

Aiyanna looks at the challenge presented before her. Scrunching her face, she taps the egg against the side of the bowl, a bit gentler this time. The force still splits open the egg on her first try, though. Hands shaking, Aiyanna dumps the contents of her egg into the bowl. Some pieces of eggshell drops into the eggy mixture as well. But Pepper ignores this, clapping her hands.

"Hey, great job! You got it!"

This earns a smile from Aiyanna, her expression no longer mortified. Pepper beams at the child's happy expression. Taking the eggshells, Pepper hands the whisker over to Aiyanna.

"Just turn the handle," Pepper taps at the white grip of the contraption for Aiyanna. "And the whisks will do the rest, okay?"

Pepper then tends to the dry ingredients. While dumping the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar into a huge bowl, she watches Aiyanna out of the corner of her eye. Aiyanna is turning the handle, slowly, as she watches the two yolks mix into one unified liquid. Testily, she spins the handle faster. The metal whisks fly inside the bowl. Another smile brightens up Aiyanna's little face. With a small, mischievous grin, Aiyanna spins the handle at lightspeed. The metal whisks turn into silver blurs. The clearish thick liquid of the eggs fly into the air, as Aiyanna beats the eggs madly.

Meanwhile, Pepper watches, suppressing a loud laugh. She didn't even have the heart to tell Aiyanna to ease her strength. If only Tony was here to see this! Sifting the dry ingredients, Pepper turns back to the computer screen for the next directions. A small hand taps her back. Pepper turns around, and sees Aiyanna, presenting a bowl of extremely-liquified eggs. Half of the liquid escaped to the counter, and some spilled onto Aiyanna's clothes. But there is a proud, beaming expression on the little girl's face. She continues holding the bowl, looking expectantly up at Pepper for praise.

"You're a natural!" Pepper praises, taking the bowl. Aiyanna nods vigorously, extremely prideful of her handiwork. "Hey, how about you clean up the little mess you left at the counter?" Pepper hands her more paper towels. Aiyanna takes them, eager for this next task. While her back is turned, Pepper quickly cracks open another egg into the mixture. Aiyanna cleans up the mess and Pepper dumps the rest of the ingredients into the batter.

" _And everything we need is enough_

 _Just so easy_

 _When the whole world fits inside of your arms_

 _Do we really need to pay attention to the alarm?_

 _Wake up slow, mmm mm, wake up slow,"_

Pepper hums along with the music, high on nostalgia. No matter how many times she played "Banana Pancakes", she can never ever get tired of it. Unlike Tony, who immediately walks out of the room if she is playing the song. Which, she discovers, is a great way to temporarily repel Tony. Besides, if she had to deal with his constant AC/DC songs blaring at his place 24/7, she has just as a right to play her favorite music.

Aiyanna returns, looking up at Pepper for another task. Pulling up a chair, she helps Aiyanna onto it. She takes a blue spatula, and puts it in the pancake mixture. Pepper's stomach rumbles slightly, the faint scent of vanilla wafting from the batter. Aiyanna smells it too, taking a deep whiff of the unfinished pancakes.

"All you just need to do is mix it - really well! Don't be too rough, because we have to save each drop of the batter as much as possible." Pepper tells Aiyanna. Aiyanna nods hearing these directions, and starts stirring, thankfully at a weaker pace. Pepper pulls out a wooden board and a knife. She peels three bananas, and slices them into identical slivers. Turning back to Aiyanna, she sees the little girl struggling with stirring the batter.

"I can take it from here." She tells Aiyanna. Breathing heavily, Aiyanna nods, pushing it to Pepper. Pepper easily stirs the rest of the batter, mixing up any remains of unmixed flour. "Your duty at the kitchen is done. You can relax while I make us some pancakes!"

Aiyanna jumps a little, showing her enthusiasm.

 _This is a heck of a lot of progress from yesterday night._ Pepper turns on the flame on the stove, putting a black pan over it. She pours some oil onto the pan, and waits for it to heat up.

" _Ain't no need, ain't no need_

 _Rain all day, and I really, really, really don't mind_

 _Can't you see, can't you see?_

 _You gotta wake up slow."_

Three replays of the Banana Pancakes song later, two plates of steaming pancakes are ready. Pepper garnishes the stack of pancakes with slices of bananas. Pulling out her phones and taking a quick picture, she sends a text message attached with the photo to Tony.

' **Jealous? ;)'** She taps send.

 _Ping!_

' _ **hell right i am peps, help im trapped in this bored meeting and i cant get out'**_

' **I'll be sure to eat an extra plate of pancakes just for you'**

Pepper grins, pocketing her phone. She can just imagine Tony at a board meeting - him snarking at any passive aggressive comments that the other members would attempt to direct at him. Sitting there playing a silent game of tic-tac-toe with JARVIS. Typical Tony Stark.

"Aiyanna, breakfast's ready!" She calls out, setting maple syrup and whip cream on the counter.

Aiyanna comes in a blink of an eye, and she clambers onto her seat. She gives a small audible gasp at her plate of food. A small hand shoots out, insistent for maple syrup. Pepper smiles, handing it over to the girl. She pours a generous amount on her pancakes. Aiyanna practically attacks the whip cream. Going a bit mad with power in the possession of the creamy treat, Aiyanna sprays whipped cream all over her pancakes. She does it incorrectly, tilting the can sideways instead of straight. Whipped cream sprays everywhere.

This time, Pepper steps in.

"I don't want you to get a sugar high, now."

The smallest of giggles escape Aiyanna. Pepper catches it, smiling at the sound of Aiyanna's laughter. Touching up their pancakes with whipped cream and maple syrup, both of them dig into their breakfast feast.

"Miss Potts?" Asks the computerized faintly British voice of JARVIS.

"Mmh?" Pepper wipes her mouth with a napkin, setting down her fork. "Yes, JARVIS?"

"Abdul Thompson is here, once again. He requests permission for entrance."

Aiyanna pauses eating as well, hearing JARVIS mention Abdul. Pepper nods, clicking a button inside a panel that is installed into the counter. Yesterday night, Abdul promised to deliver Aiyanna's possessions and medications to the Stark household.

"Finish up eating, okay honey?" Pepper says to Aiyanna. She throws on a hoodie lying on the couch, just to cover up her tank top and comfy cotton shorts.

* * *

Pepper is no stranger to applications, detailed forms, and piles of papers. This is just a typical job she needed to deal with as a secretary and part time CEO of Stark Corporations. Not a big deal. But the amount of papers she and Tony need to sign to confirm their guardianship of Aiyanna, as well as the dozens of medical papers attached to Aiyanna's physical condition is giving her a major headache.

She squints at the tiny text, detailing conditions and terms on the application. "Christ." She shakes her head, rubbing her forehead. Three bottles of pills are stacked in front of her. Abdul was kind enough to label each of the lengthy fancy termed medicines for Pepper, and even pick up some medicine for Aiyanna from the pharmacy. Pepper reads through each bottle again. "Epilepsy. Pain relief. Sleeping problems." Then there is an asthma pump and a syringe for allergy reactions.

Aiyanna has the other two items essential to her physical being - a new pair of powerful glasses that help her see in spite of her progressive blindness and some hearing aids. Apparently, she has some hearing problems as well. Pepper chews the inside of her cheek. _Maybe Tony wasn't overreacting at all. Aiyanna has a lot of medical problems. How in the world can we keep in track of it?_

Overwhelmed by these new responsibilities, Pepper decides to abandon the papers, and check on Aiyanna. The girl is sitting in front of the TV, mesmerized by the contents of the videos playing on the screen. Looking closer at the screen, Pepper recognizes a younger Aiyanna, probably around eight or nine years of age. A man with thick black hair, tanned skin, and bright brown eyes is briefly seen in front of the shaky camera sometimes. A deep and pleasant sounding male voice narrates the video.

"... _Aiyanna, do you think you can find any more seashells for me?"_

" _Yeah, yeah!"_

Aiyanna is listening intently to the TV. Her cloudy brown eyes are magnified by her glasses.

"Is that your father?" Pepper asks as gently as possible.

Aiyanna nods, looking straight down. It could be a trick of her glasses or the light, but her eyes look rather wet. Pepper leaves it at that. She sits there with Aiyanna, silent, as they both watch the home videos Aiyanna's father recorded.

* * *

 **A/N: Unlike the old version, I want to succeed in making Pepper and Aiyanna's relationship much more meaningful and built upon a slow trust. I hope you guys liked the fluffy family moment between Aiyanna and Pepper! There is still a long way to go with Aiyanna's stages of grief.**

 **A quick moment from me - wow, so many follows and favorites and views, and we only have two chapters! I'm glad so many people are reading the rewrite. It would be super nice if you guys leave your thoughts in a review. It doesn't need to be a lot - you can state what you love about the chapter or things you want to see in future chapters - whatever you think of the story! I absolutely love hearing people's thoughts, and I wanna hear your thoughts guys! Don't be shy! :D**

 **Signing out, Gem.**


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